SOLVED Can't play dvd on dvd player

[bamacowgirl]

I made a movie using iMovie. When I saved it, the file was in mp4 format. I downloaded an app called Burn, burned a dvd in DVD/Movie format. But it won't plaly on any of my old dvd players or the new one I just bought. Anyone familiar with Burn?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello,

I used it years ago, but not recently.

Maybe the steps in this article will help: How to Export iMovie Project to DVD. It references using iMovie and Burn to make a playable DVD.

Hope that helps,

C

 

[bamacowgirl]

Thanks, but that article doesn't help. I did all that already, first one, then the other. IMovie produces an mp4 file that won't play on a dvd player. I used Burn, but that disc won't play on my dvd players, either, including a new one I just bought.

 

[MightyGem]

A couple of questions. Does your DVD play on your Mac using DVDPlayer? If you double click on the DVD icon on the desktop, what do you see in the Finder window that opens?

I've used iMovie and Burn often and not had a problem.

 

[bamacowgirl]

I think I figured out why the DVD burned via Burn won't play on my DVD players. It was set to burn in PAL format, instead of NTSC as required here in the USA. I changed that, but have another problem. Burn says my iMovie is too large for the DVD. I thought DVDs would hold lup to two hours or about 4.5 GB. My iMovie is 1.33.10, which I interpret as one hour and 33 minutes, 10 seconds. But it is about 8.5 GB. That doesn't make sense! Should I go into Burn and click "force MPEG2 encoding?"

 

[MightyGem]

I thought DVDs would hold lup to two hours or about 4.5 GB

But it is about 8.5 GB

That's your problem. A dvd holds 4.5GB and your movie is 8.5GB. Even after converting to mpeg2, it will still be about the same size, regardless of the fact that is ok time wise.

Have you thought about adjusting the resolution/quality when you export from iMovie? Standard dvd resolution is only 720x480(NTSC), ie 480p, so there's not much point choosing 1080p when exporting. That could make a big difference to the file size. If you video file is still too big use a dual layer dvd which will hold about 8.5GB

Should I go into Burn and click "force MPEG2 encoding?"

You should be asked if you want to do that anyway, when you drop the video file into Burn. The answer has to be Yes, because that is the video format for dvds.

 

[bamacowgirl]

But it fit on same capacity DVD when in PAL format.

 

[MightyGem]

But it fit on same capacity DVD when in PAL format.

Hmmm...no idea why that should be I'm afraid.

 

[bamacowgirl]

Problem solved! Here's how: Changed Burn preferences from PAL to NTCS or whatever the initials are. Then burned DVD using an mpeg4 file I had saved on desktop (as opposed to pulling file directly from iMovie). It worked! I now have a DVD that plays on my DVD player! (And one for my grandkids' Argentinian grandparents.)

 

[MightyGem]

Then burned DVD using an mpeg4 file I had saved on desktop

OK, that's how I thought that you were doing it.

(as opposed to pulling file directly from iMovie)

Just out of interest, how were you doing that?

 

[bamacowgirl]

Don't recall for sure, but I think when I clicked on + sign at bottom of Burn window, it asked where the file was. I clicked on iMovie.

 

[MightyGem]

Ok, Couldn't get that, but using the exported video file as you did is the correct way.